Purple Martin or Barn Swallow ?

There's more to learn about Purple Martin

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Also known as: Swallow

How to recognise a barn swallow?

General appearance

Barn swallows are small birds with streamlined bodies, long, forked tails, and pointed wings. They have a striking coloration with a steel-blue back, wings, and tail. Their underparts are buff to cinnamon-colored, and they possess a distinctive rufous throat and forehead. The tail features white spots that are more visible when the tail is spread.

Male vs female

While both sexes have similar coloration, males are generally more vibrant with a deeper blue sheen and more pronounced red throat and forehead. Their tail feathers are typically longer than those of females, enhancing their forked appearance. Females may appear slightly duller, with less defined color contrasts compared to males.

Juvenile

Juvenile barn swallows resemble adults but with less glossy plumage. Their tails are shorter, making the fork less pronounced. The throat and forehead areas are a paler rufous rather than deep red. Juveniles gradually acquire adult coloration as they mature. In the wild, identifying barn swallows involves observing their distinct flight pattern and sleek body while noting seasonal changes such as molting.

Size

6.7 - 7.5 in/0.6 - 0.8 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The barn swallow prefers open and semi-open terrains, especially near water sources, and ofttimes breeds around farms, buildings, and towns.

Additional range

Their range extends to fields, marshes, and lakes. Despite eschewing very dry areas and unbroken forest, they still exhibit adaptability by foraging over fields or ponds.

Range Map

What do barn swallows like to eat?

Natural diet

Barn swallows primarily feed on a variety of flying insects. Their diet includes flies such as house flies and horse flies, beetles, wasps, wild bees, winged ants, and true bugs. They also consume some moths, damselflies, grasshoppers, and other insects, along with a few spiders and snails. Occasionally, barn swallows eat berries or seeds, although these constitute a minor part of their diet.

Bird feeders

Barn swallows are not typically attracted to bird feeders as their diet largely consists of live insects which are not commonly provided at feeders. Therefore, barn swallows generally do not visit bird feeders for food.

What does a barn swallow sound like?

The Barn Swallow's vocalizations are marked by continuous liquid twittering and chattering sounds. Its signature call pattern is both flat and undulating, representing a varied range in pitch. The barn swallow primarily uses four types of call, namely a chirp or chip, a salutation of "hi," a rattle, and a whistle. Each call distinctively characterizes its unique vocal repertoire, contributing to the rich acoustic communication that sets the species apart.

Call

Audio by Paul Marvin

Call

Audio by Paul Marvin

Song

Audio by Richard E. Webster

Song

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

There's more to learn about Barn Swallow

Purple Martin

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Barn Swallow

Purple Martin

Progne subis

General appearance

The purple martin is our largest swallow, measuring approximately 7-8 1/2 inches (18-22 cm). The bird features angular, pointed wings and a distinctive forked or notched tail. Its size is comparable to a robin or sparrow, and it sports various colors including black, blue, grey, purple, and white.

Male vs female

Sexual dimorphism is present in purple martins. Males exhibit a glossy blue-black coloration all over their bodies. Females, on the other hand, are relatively greyer, especially on the bottom part, and they have a white belly. So, if you spot a martin with a white belly, it is most likely a female.

Juvenile

Young purple martins share the same features with the adult females, they are grayer below and have white bellies. As they mature, males will develop their glossy blue-black plumage.

Size

7.7 - 8.1 in/1.6 - 2.0 oz

There's more to learn about Purple Martin

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Also known as: Swallow

General appearance

Barn swallows are small birds with streamlined bodies, long, forked tails, and pointed wings. They have a striking coloration with a steel-blue back, wings, and tail. Their underparts are buff to cinnamon-colored, and they possess a distinctive rufous throat and forehead. The tail features white spots that are more visible when the tail is spread.

Male vs female

While both sexes have similar coloration, males are generally more vibrant with a deeper blue sheen and more pronounced red throat and forehead. Their tail feathers are typically longer than those of females, enhancing their forked appearance. Females may appear slightly duller, with less defined color contrasts compared to males.

Juvenile

Juvenile barn swallows resemble adults but with less glossy plumage. Their tails are shorter, making the fork less pronounced. The throat and forehead areas are a paler rufous rather than deep red. Juveniles gradually acquire adult coloration as they mature. In the wild, identifying barn swallows involves observing their distinct flight pattern and sleek body while noting seasonal changes such as molting.

Size

6.7 - 7.5 in/0.6 - 0.8 oz

There's more to learn about Barn Swallow

How to tell the Purple Martin from the Barn Swallow

Visual differences

The Purple Martin is larger than the Barn Swallow, measuring 7-8.5 inches, compared to the Barn Swallow's 6.7-7.5 inches. Male Purple Martins feature glossy blue-black plumage, while Barn Swallows have a steel-blue back, buff to cinnamon underparts, and a rufous throat and forehead. Purple Martins have angular wings and a notched tail, whereas Barn Swallows have long, pointed wings and a deeply forked tail with white spots. Purple Martins show more homogenous, darker colors, while Barn Swallows exhibit more color contrast with their distinct red and blue hues.

Key differences and behavior

Purple Martins and Barn Swallows are both aerial insectivores, yet they exhibit key behavioral differences. Purple Martins are highly social, often forming large colonies and relying on human-made nesting structures, particularly in eastern regions. Barn Swallows, in contrast, prefer open buildings or natural sheltered sites for nesting and do not form dense colonies. While both parents in each species participate in chick-rearing, Purple Martins exhibit a more regimented feeding regime, sometimes up to 300 times daily. In terms of diet, both species feast mainly on flying insects but exhibit dietary diversity with Barn Swallows sporadically consuming seeds and berries. Habitat preferences overlap, favoring open areas near water; however, Purple Martins inhabit diverse regions, including western mountain forests and deserts. While both avoid feeders, their strong, social flocking behavior and distinct nesting preferences, along with dietary nuances, help in differentiating them in the field.

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